The Premier League Game of Thrones

Mauricio Pochettino – Tottenham 

Jul 23, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino on the sidelines against Toronto FC at BMO Field. Tottenham defeated Toronto 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Projected Finish: 7th

How’d he do?

Fans will moan about yet another season where Spurs failed to meet their Champions League expectations. Pochettino suffered from a peculiar condition shared with many other recent Spurs managers: a severe lack of pragmatism. His side could be utterly dominant on their day, but suffered several times when he refused to adapt to opposition’s style. On a more positive note, he seems to have partially excised whatever was causing Spurs to be humiliated by the top sides last season.

Season Highlight: The New Years Day 5-3 victory over Chelsea featuring a star turn by new club talisman Harry Kane.

Season Lowlight: The 0-3 loss to United that came right when Spurs’ season seemed to be reaching its apex.

Future?

Too close to call. It’s fair to be disappointed with a fifth consecutive Europa League qualification. On top of that, club chairman Daniel Levy is known for his itchy trigger finger. Despite that, there’s a decent chance Pochettino is able to hold onto his spot at Spurs. The club has slowly been transitioning this season from a Results Now mentality to Results Later. A new training complex and the encouraging development of youth might mean that Levy would prefer consistency over the turmoil of a new manager.